The present invention relates to a method of forming a multi-integrated agent system and more particularly, to a method of forming a multi-integrated agent system applicable to a network management system (NMS) which performs management with an agent packaged in a work station (WS) by using open systems interconnection (OSI) or simple network management protocol (SNMP) and applicable to a network element (NE) which is an object to be managed by the NMS.
Generally, in the NMS which performs network management in the mode in which the agent is packaged in the WS by using the OSI or the SNMP, when a fault occurs in a network or in various NETs to be managed by the NMS or when maintenance work is desired to be carried out, the connection of an NE managed by a standing NMS is switched to an intelligent craft interface device (ICID) brought to the spot in order that the fault can be monitored or a CPU board of the abnormal NE can be exchanged.
Accordingly, when the fault recovery work and maintenance work as above are carried out, especially, when monitoring is effected, the ICID and the NE must be created and after completion of the work, the NMS and NE must be created.
In the past, when the NMS or the ICID and NE are desired to be created in the above multi-integrated agent system, suitable formation must be effected in accordance with different situations.
For example, when the management process practiced by an NMS which is standing in a central office (CO) of a network management center is switched to an ICID at the spot where a given NE is installed, a managed object (MO) instance concerning the NE to be managed does not exist or an MO instance indicative of old information in the previous connection exists and therefore, an operator must up-load the present state from a CPU board in the NE to be managed so as to update a management information base (MIB) set in the ICID to be newly connected, through an explicit manual operation.
Also, when a CPU board packaged in an NE is desired to be exchanged during working of an NMS, information stored in the newly inserted CPU board is in the initial state or in a state conforming to an NE in which the CPU board has been packaged before the exchange and therefore, an operator must explicitly down-load information of an MIB of the NMS into a memory of the CPU board through a manual operation.
Further, the combination of the connection switching between a NMS and an ICID with the exchange of a CPU board packaged in an NE will be described. Then, for example, when the connection is desired to be switched to the ICID during working of the NMS and besides the exchange of the CPU board is desired, various combinations are available at the actual work spot and therefore, an operator decides whether a suitable formation method is down-loaded or up-loaded at the spot for each combination and deals with the procedure through a manual operation.
Accordingly, the conventional multi-integrated agent system formation method faces problems as below.
Firstly, in the conventional forming method, the NMS, ICID and NE (CPU board) are independent of each other and therefore they do not recognize their own states and what procedure is needed for proper information, with the result that unless a person (operator) decides, depending on a situation at that time, which of a down-load or an up-load must be effected to form the NMS and NE and proceeds with suitable procedures, the NMS and NE cannot be formed.
Secondly, when the connection switching and the exchange are carried out in various combinations among the NMS, ICID and CPU for the sake of maintenance and consequently, the operator cannot grasp what the present state is, formation and initial setting of the NMS (or ICID) and NE must be done from the beginning.
Thirdly, in the conventional forming method, the procedure is such that even in the event of an instantaneous interruption of the power supply of the NE, working is immediately started as soon as connection is spread between the NMS and the NE to permit immediate working and therefore, it is impossible for the NE, ICID and CPU board to discriminate among the connection switching between the NE and ICID, the exchange of the CPU board and the instantaneous interruption of the power supply of the NE, so that the working is started immediately with the contents of the MBI unchanged or with the information in the memory of the CPU board unchanged and there is a danger that the working of the network management is started with the information of the NMS (or ICID) discrepant from that of the NE.